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Publisher's Summary

One of today's premier biographers has written a modern, comprehensive, indeed ultimate book on the epic life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

This is a portrait painted in broad strokes and fine details. We see how Roosevelt's restless energy, fierce intellect, personal magnetism, and ability to project effortless grace permitted him to master countless challenges throughout his life. Smith recounts FDR's personal battles and also tackles head-on and in depth the numerous failures and miscues of Roosevelt's political career.

Summing up Roosevelt's legacy, Smith gives us the clearest picture yet of how this quintessential Knickerbocker aristocrat became the common man's president. The result is a powerful account that adds fresh perspectives and draws profound conclusions about a man whose story is widely known but not well understood. Written for the general reader and scholars alike, FDR is a stunning biography in every way worthy of its subject.

I was truly enjoying this biography of one of America's best Presidents when the story ended as soon as FDR died. No talk about the transition to Harry Truman or the end of WWII.

Story content was in-dept and quite informative and compelling. I learned things about FDR that surprised me, made me proud, and also disappointed me.

His first 100 days in office were, by far, the clearest example of leadership, courage, and optimism of any President in history. While Abe Lincoln was, in my opinion, our most well-rounded President, FDR was an energetic and charismatic leader who actually worked with Congress, and turned the country around during the depression.

If only we had a President with his knowledge, leadership skills, and influencial charm today.

I have just finished listing to FDR and was sad to come to the end of it. I was a little worried that the abridged version would skip over to much but I didn't feel that it did, for me at least, it covered his life in enough detail to keep me interested and I learned a lot about this man who was so pivotal in our history. Many conservatives today feel that FDR changed the country for the worst, and that he was a socialist, but I have long though what would have happened with out his ideas, without the policies of the new deal. Would the country even exist as it does today. that is a question that can not be answered but there is no doubt that his ideas changed this country and the way we look at, or to, our government.
Richard McGonagle is the perfect narrator for this book, when he quotes FDR directly, he sounds like him and he as a soothing that is easy to listen to. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the 20th century.